There are so many different ways for people to get their foot on the career ladder today. From universities and apprenticeships to starting your own online business, the routes are endless. This is great news because it means that you don’t have to go to university to make it. However, it does make it difficult to know where to begin. With that being said, read on to discover some information that will help you.

Plotting your route

There is only one place to begin, and this is by determining what sort of career you are going to carve for yourself. This requires a lot of careful consideration, as you then need to plot your route to get there. With that being said, let’s start by taking a look at some of the common mistakes that people make when they are deciding where to go in terms of their career.

Misunderstanding the study involved and the qualifications needed – One of the biggest mistakes people make is failing to truly understand what qualifications are going to be needed in order for them to secure their dream career. You need to work backward in this regard. What is your dream career? Once you have established this, you can then look at job descriptions relating to this so you can get a good understanding regarding the sort of qualifications that employers are looking for.

Failing to research career specifics – Let’s say you have decided you want to be a sports masseuse. Do you know the average sports massage salary UK? Do you know what qualifications are required? Do you know what demand is like for these jobs in the UK? Do you know what areas mostly require sports masseuses? These are the sorts of things you need to find out.

Doing what is expected of you – If you have pushy parents, you probably know exactly what we are talking about here. They may have been pushing you to be a doctor or a lawyer all of your life. You may even have the grades to achieve this but is it what you really want? It is important to recognise that you are going to spend your entire life doing this job, not your parents. As much as you want to impress them and make them happy, it is important to do what you really want to do.

Assuming that picking a course and career is the same thing – Another error that a lot of people make is assuming that picking a degree to study at university is the same thing as selecting a career. This could not be further from the truth. When you choose the study path you are going to go down, you need to be fully aware of what it could lead to at the end of it. This relates to the earlier point about working backward, i.e. determining your career first and then figuring out what it takes to get there.

Apprenticeships are back on the rise

In the former section, we spoke a lot about choosing university qualifications that will help you to get onto the right career path. However, going to university is not the only route in. You can get qualifications and real-life experience with an apprenticeship. So, let’s take a look at this option in further detail…

If you are trying to choose between a university degree and an apprenticeship, there is no right or wrong answer. However, there is also no denying that a lot of people completely overlook the option of an apprenticeship. For that reason, we are going to take a look at some of the benefits so you can get a better understanding to help you make your decision.

One of the most attractive elements of taking an apprenticeship is the fact that you will earn while you learn. This is what initially attracts people to this option, as they don’t like the fact that they could be stuck in university for three years with no income. With an apprenticeship, you are not going to get rich. But it is good to have some money coming in, right? Plus, at the same time, you won’t be racking up the debt that you would be if you were at university and need to pay off student loans for the rest of your life.

What a lot of people do not realise is that they will still get a recognised qualification if they do an apprenticeship. From BTEC to NVQs, there are lots of different qualifications you can attain by doing an apprenticeship. This is something you can use to help you find the best apprenticeships for you, i.e. look for the opportunities that will provide you with the qualifications you really want.

There are some other benefits that are worth considering when it comes to apprenticeships. This includes the fact that you are going to be learning the skills that you really need. You will learn on the job, getting real hands-on experience. If you compare this with university courses, which are largely theory-based, you can see the real difference. A lot of people leave university and when they get a related job, they feel a little bit like a rabbit caught in headlights because they have never done anything like that before. However, an apprentice will know exactly what they need to do when they secure a full-time job.

Aside from the points that have already been mentioned, it is also worth thinking about the fact that you will be in a better position to network. You will interact with people on a daily basis that are related to your field. You never know what sort of opportunities this could lead to. Furthermore, you could have more employment options. After all, if you impress during your apprenticeship, there is always the chance you are going to make yourself indispensable, meaning there is a job offered to you at the end of it. This has happened many times.

Use the opportunities the Internet has provided you

You may be reading all of this and thinking… well, I don’t want to go to university or do an apprenticeship. Or, maybe you have already done so? However, you want to get your foot on a different career ladder because you do not like what you are doing at the moment?

In today’s digital age, there are more ways than ever before to get a good start in life or to carve a new career path for yourself. Of course, you have the option of online training, meaning you can achieve the same qualifications you would at a university from the comfort of your own home. This is great for stay-at-home parents, as well as those who simply do not want to go to university for a number of years. You could also get some job experience while achieving the qualifications you need – a bit like doing your own version of an apprenticeship!

Another opportunity is to start your own online business. There are many different ways you can make money online today. You can read our guide on running a business from the comfort of your own home for some more information on this. But what sort of business opportunities are there? Well, you could become an affiliate marketer, which means you market products and services for businesses. Whenever someone makes a purchase from your lead, you will receive a commission.

You could also provide your services on a freelance basis. If you have any skills that can be delivered over the Internet, for example, writing, translation, and website design, this is something you should definitely explore further. From starting your own blog to providing online training courses, there are so many avenues the digital age has provided us with, and so it is definitely worth exploring these further.

As you can see, there are so many ways that you can get your foot on the career ladder today. Rather than diving in head first, you really need to consider all of your options carefully and where you want to be.